Naked Mole Rats Live 30 Years Longer Than Any Other Rodent

Scientists reckon that naked mole rats may hold the secret to longevity since they live for nearly 30 years longer than any other rodent.

The oxidizing compounds produced in the bodies gradually wear down DNA and proteins, hence causing aging by destroying the cells.

But, surprisingly, naked mole rats have almost equivalent levels of oxidants to mice that live to be just three and a half years.

For the study, Rochelle Buffenstein of the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio and colleagues extracted liver tissue from both species, and treated it with chemicals that "unravel" proteins to reveal damage.

It was discovered that naked mole rats had twice as many undamaged proteins as in mice.

In fact, the rats' protein recycling machinery was found to be exceptionally active, reports New Scientist magazine.

According to the researchers, naked mole rats manufacture extra quantities of molecules that are responsible for labeling damaged proteins that need to be recycled quickly to minimize their effect on cells.

And now they are hoping to identify these molecules, and test whether they could be used to treat age-related disease in humans.

Your comments are automatically posted once they are submitted. All comments are however constantly reviewed for spam and irrelevant material (such as product or personal advertisements, email addresses, telephone numbers and website address). Such insertions do not conform to our policy and 'Terms of Use' and are either deleted or edited and republished.Please keep your comments brief and relevant.This section may also have questions seeking help. If you have the information you are welcome to respond, but please ensure that the information so provided is genuine and not misleading.

Disclaimer - All information and content on this site are for information and educational purposes only. The information should not be used for either diagnosis or treatment or both for any health related problem or disease. Always seek the advice of a qualified physician for medical diagnosis and treatment.Full Disclaimer